Glad I found this site!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,247
rockin914...think how good you will feel on Monday morning. That feeling of accomplishment knowing you made it through the week end. It will be worth it.
If I can do it..you can DO IT.
Like you said 'hold on to the positives', and you are correct SR has very supportive people!
Jim
If I can do it..you can DO IT.
Like you said 'hold on to the positives', and you are correct SR has very supportive people!
Jim
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: new york city, NY
Posts: 16
Made it through the weekend on Friday instead of going straight to the liquor store, I made a left turn and had gone home. It was great waking up Saturday morning and getting things done without the headache. Kept myself busy Saturday night and tried not to think about drinking. Sunday night was another test, but I made the decision not to drink and glad I was able to stay up later than passing out by 8:30-9 pm. Everyday is a test/temptation but I'm holding on to the positives of not drinking, let alone the $$$ I'm saving. Have a great sober day SR people 
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: new york city, NY
Posts: 16
Everyday is a test. Last night my wife had a glass of wine, all it did was remind me of something I no longer want to do. She can have one glass but not me, it would take a bottle and then some before I quit for the evening.
Waking up this morning was wonderful, I slept well (something that wasn't happening) and I feel my energy levels increasing.
Have a great day SR people!
Waking up this morning was wonderful, I slept well (something that wasn't happening) and I feel my energy levels increasing.
Have a great day SR people!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: new york city, NY
Posts: 16
The demons tempted me last night, wondering if being without alcohol is what I wanted or was it better getting ****** up? Wondering how I'm going to make through dinners and new years without drinking, but thinking back did I really have a better time on alcohol? I resisted and this morning I was glad I did. Everyday is a challenge, but it's something I need to do. Peace...
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: London, England
Posts: 50
Originally Posted by rockin914 
The demons tempted me last night, wondering if being without alcohol is what I wanted or was it better getting ****** up? Wondering how I'm going to make through dinners and new years without drinking, but thinking back did I really have a better time on alcohol? I resisted and this morning I was glad I did. Everyday is a challenge, but it's something I need to do. Peace...
But I know what you mean. One of my biggest worries was how I could cope with social occasions without alcohol. Then I actually asked myself "how many social events have been better because I was drinking". The answer was none - the idea that alcohol made the night better was simply an illusion. In truth, the night either ended in a row with my husband, or I could barely remember it because I was so drunk. On more than one occasion I made a fool of myself through being drunk.
Since being sober, I've attended a hen party and a wedding, been abroad on holiday and had numerous other nights out. All of them have been better without alcohol. Different for sure.....but better.
You can do it. Just focus on the positives, and remember that it only takes one drink to lose them all.
SoberOutlook
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,089
Keep it up, Rockin! You are doing great. Don't let your mind play tricks on you. As we say, alcohol is cunning, baffling, powerful. In early sobriety, you have to outstrength it, sometimes by shear force, but it's always worth it. This will be my first holidays sober in 26 yrs, and I'm looking forward to them.
Re-Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 7,583
Rockin,
My wife is a "Normy," (Normal Drinker) you know one of those disgusting beings who can drink and not have a problem stopping at one or none anytime? She also smokes few cigarettes a day. When I quit a year ago I was drinking more than 30 units of alcohol a day and smoking three packs of smokes a day, seriously. I quit both with an in hospital detox. She has her scotch rocks lime every evening. I drank her scotch in my morning coffees the last two years I drank, then beer all day, and boxed wine at night.
I am posting to let you know that for me her drinking, even if she were as bad as I was, had/has nothing to do with me. Nor her smoking. There is one of those big bottles of scotch in the house that is a metric something (?) but is a half gallon U.S. or close, in the house all the time. As is a carton of cigarettes. I am retired and she works, and, as right now, I am alone in the house most of the weekdays.
The bottle does not call to me and hasn't since I quit. Nor the smokes. I quit for me not for anyone else. Proximity is an illusion because if I would be too tempted by it in the house where would I be safe. If it was in the yard? Down the street in a store? I would have to quit driving or leaving the house to not be able to swing by and drink one way or another. Now I hear a lot of folks say that they can' t take a chance and I am certainly not advocating anybody that feels that way keep any in the house. So it may be just peculiar to me, and I mean no one else any criticism who says differently. It is not strength as I quit daily for years unsuccessfully. I am no stronger than the next guy or gal, young or old, rich or poor, mansioned or homeless, religious or not, AA or not, SR or not that was a slave to a substance I was committing a slow suicide with.
I finally learned that alcohol provides us an avenue to run away from all of our problems . . . except the results of using alcohol. <sigh>
I consider myself recovered now. BECAUSE I know I am one drink, and one smoke, away from being enslaved again. And as in all cases, in this case too, Freedom Isn't Free. It cost me my drinking, a cheap price to pay, to stop being cheap myself.
I haven't lost drinking, I have gained sobriety.
Are you a member of AA? Do you have and can work Smart or AVRT books instead of just reading?
You are not too weak my friend, we have all been there. You are just forgetting why you quit in the first place. You didn't drink for anybody else when you drank. You drank for you. You kept on because it felt good. And nobody could have made you decide to quit but you right?
My wife couldn't. My doc couldn't. Nobody could make me quit be being a non drinker in front of me. When I ate in a family restaurant that did not serve alcohol I drank four or five before we went and drank coke there. I did not stop drinking from being around non-drinkers. Why would I start drinking because I am around drinkers?
I have been there. I liked drinking when it was voluntary, not when it became mandatory.
Add something to your recovery plan, save it, and yourself in the process.
My wife is a "Normy," (Normal Drinker) you know one of those disgusting beings who can drink and not have a problem stopping at one or none anytime? She also smokes few cigarettes a day. When I quit a year ago I was drinking more than 30 units of alcohol a day and smoking three packs of smokes a day, seriously. I quit both with an in hospital detox. She has her scotch rocks lime every evening. I drank her scotch in my morning coffees the last two years I drank, then beer all day, and boxed wine at night.
I am posting to let you know that for me her drinking, even if she were as bad as I was, had/has nothing to do with me. Nor her smoking. There is one of those big bottles of scotch in the house that is a metric something (?) but is a half gallon U.S. or close, in the house all the time. As is a carton of cigarettes. I am retired and she works, and, as right now, I am alone in the house most of the weekdays.
The bottle does not call to me and hasn't since I quit. Nor the smokes. I quit for me not for anyone else. Proximity is an illusion because if I would be too tempted by it in the house where would I be safe. If it was in the yard? Down the street in a store? I would have to quit driving or leaving the house to not be able to swing by and drink one way or another. Now I hear a lot of folks say that they can' t take a chance and I am certainly not advocating anybody that feels that way keep any in the house. So it may be just peculiar to me, and I mean no one else any criticism who says differently. It is not strength as I quit daily for years unsuccessfully. I am no stronger than the next guy or gal, young or old, rich or poor, mansioned or homeless, religious or not, AA or not, SR or not that was a slave to a substance I was committing a slow suicide with.
I finally learned that alcohol provides us an avenue to run away from all of our problems . . . except the results of using alcohol. <sigh>
I consider myself recovered now. BECAUSE I know I am one drink, and one smoke, away from being enslaved again. And as in all cases, in this case too, Freedom Isn't Free. It cost me my drinking, a cheap price to pay, to stop being cheap myself.
I haven't lost drinking, I have gained sobriety.
Are you a member of AA? Do you have and can work Smart or AVRT books instead of just reading?
You are not too weak my friend, we have all been there. You are just forgetting why you quit in the first place. You didn't drink for anybody else when you drank. You drank for you. You kept on because it felt good. And nobody could have made you decide to quit but you right?
My wife couldn't. My doc couldn't. Nobody could make me quit be being a non drinker in front of me. When I ate in a family restaurant that did not serve alcohol I drank four or five before we went and drank coke there. I did not stop drinking from being around non-drinkers. Why would I start drinking because I am around drinkers?
I have been there. I liked drinking when it was voluntary, not when it became mandatory.
Add something to your recovery plan, save it, and yourself in the process.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: new york city, NY
Posts: 16
Thank you Karrie, Lofty & Itchy for your encouragement and inspiration. Every morning I wake up glad I didn't drink the night before. My face, my eyes & mind are clearer not to mention the better mood I've been in. My wife asked if I'd like to go to the local pub tonight for some reunion thing. I told her no as I rather not be around that environment for now. She understood. Every day gets better! Have a great sober weekend SR people!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: new york city, NY
Posts: 16
2 weeks sober. rough day in work yesterday made me wonder why I stopped drinking. So I came back here and read some post which gave me the encouragement to stay the course. When I woke up this morning and felt fine it made me glad I didn't have that one drink that could have put me back where I was. Peace & love.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: San Diego
Posts: 4,451
Hi, Rockin. One upon a time I was rocking a 914 phone number, too.
I was struck by one of your earlier posts:
Are you familiar with the addictive voice recognition technique, or AVRT? As I understand it, the approach is built around the concept of recognizing the addictive voice as something separate from you, but within you. Sort of a mental demon, as you said. It wants to drink. You don't. I found it really helpful to think in those terms, so that when thoughts come into my head about having a drink, I can detach myself from them. They are not my thoughts; it's the voice of addiction, trying to trick me into drinking. But I know I can never drink. And I know I never want to drink again. Sorry, voice. I choose to wake up feeling good tomorrow. I choose to have a long and happy life. And luckily, the voice has no actual power. I run the show. It can try to trick me into drinking, but it can not actually make me drink. And so I don't. I find the whole concept very helpful.
It sounds like you are doing really well! I'm glad you found SR. This site made all the difference for me. Happy holidays—you are going to feel so good starting the new year like this!
I was struck by one of your earlier posts:
The demons tempted me last night, wondering if being without alcohol is what I wanted or was it better getting ****** up?
It sounds like you are doing really well! I'm glad you found SR. This site made all the difference for me. Happy holidays—you are going to feel so good starting the new year like this!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: new york city, NY
Posts: 16
Hi R&A, yeah I know that demon voice in my head all too well, especially when I was drinking. I'd wake up hungover but the voice was already planning what to drink that evening, what routes on my way home to make sure I was supplied. It's whole new way of thinking now.
Thanks for your insight and a happy holidays to you as well!
Thanks for your insight and a happy holidays to you as well!
Re-Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 7,583
I started drinking in 914 in White Plains. My area code was 203 (Stamford)back then in the 60's and NY drinking age was 18, while CT was 21. Had the fake IDs since 15 years old. I know I am oooold!
:rotfxko
I was really glad to run across your post today and find you doing well.
Eventually it becomes natural to be sober. And while being back where we started is still only one drink away, and always will be, we are completely in control of our sobriety. It can't be taken from us. No one can cause us or compel us to drink. The only way we can lose it is to give it away. Either by not caring, or fooling yourself into thinking you can drink normally, which can be a fatal mistake for us. I don't give away my money for nothing. My sobriety has no price. No one else can touch it or see it. I proceed outward and to do things from my sobriety, I don't hide in it from alcohol.
Sorry, when I am uplifted and gain energy from a post here, I try my best to return it and it goes longer than many want to read. I am taking this path with you too. Keep posting and making it for you and yours.
If I don't read you before this weekend, remember that the sobriety elf will be watching what you drink, and waiting.
:rotfxko
I was really glad to run across your post today and find you doing well.
Eventually it becomes natural to be sober. And while being back where we started is still only one drink away, and always will be, we are completely in control of our sobriety. It can't be taken from us. No one can cause us or compel us to drink. The only way we can lose it is to give it away. Either by not caring, or fooling yourself into thinking you can drink normally, which can be a fatal mistake for us. I don't give away my money for nothing. My sobriety has no price. No one else can touch it or see it. I proceed outward and to do things from my sobriety, I don't hide in it from alcohol.
Sorry, when I am uplifted and gain energy from a post here, I try my best to return it and it goes longer than many want to read. I am taking this path with you too. Keep posting and making it for you and yours.
If I don't read you before this weekend, remember that the sobriety elf will be watching what you drink, and waiting.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
